Pathlocked: Forging Your Own Adventure

Design Philosophy

Pathlocked is built around the idea that player agency should shape the experience. Instead of a fixed optimal route, we want multiple viable approaches with distinct strengths and risks.

The design goal is to make decisions feel impactful from the first minutes, then keep that tension alive as options expand.

Core Mechanics Direction

Our systems combine card-like interactions with branching progression. Players are expected to weigh short-term gains against long-term positioning.

• Branching paths that alter future opportunities.
• Resource and risk management in every run.
• Build variety to support different playstyles.

Balancing for Replayability

A big part of development is balancing route outcomes so no single strategy dominates. We tune progression loops to reward experimentation and discovery.

Replayability comes from meaningful divergence, not randomness alone.

Production Approach

We iterate in short cycles: prototype, test, adjust. This lets us refine mechanics quickly while preserving the project's experimental identity.